Okay, so this book addresses a really important issue: racism in the United States. It also addresses a delicate topic: police brutality. I was so excited about finding YA literature that ties into a study of these topics, and let me tell you, these authors do a tremendous job of making it real for readers. I know my teenaged students would have a better grasp of the controversy surrounding this topic that has raged across the country. They would understand that there is a lot of gray when dealing with these topics.
Rashad is in the local mom-and-pop store, reaching for a bag of chips when the white woman behind him grabs a drink, steps back, bumps into him, and loses her balance. She topples over him, yelling in surprise and Rashad's bag of chips end up in his open gym bag at his feet. Suddenly, he finds himself on the concrete sidewalk outside the store with an angry policeman beating him, accusing him of attacking the woman and attempting to steal.This story weaves together the different points of view offered about the event from Rashad, from innocent bystanders, and from the policeman himself who violently handled Rashad. The story's timeline encompasses less than one week but the timelessness of the story's themes makes its message one that sticks with you.
Policeman's point of view: " 'Thing is, I had been in so many other situations where things had gotten crazy. A hand goes in a pocket and out comes a pistol or blade. and all I could think about was making it home to you, Spoony, and your mother. It's a hard job, a really hard job, and you could never understand that. You could never know what it's like to kiss your family good-bye in the morning, knowing you could get a call over your radio that could your life'" (235).
Bystander's point of view: "I was marching. I repeated it to myself like a mantra. I was marching. I kept saying it as I scanned the crowd for Jill, pumping myself up, because some people had told me racism was a thing of the past, they'd told me not to get involved. But that was nuts. They were nuts. And more to the point - they'd all been white people. Well, guess what? I'm white too - and that's exactly why I was marching. I had to. Because racism was alive and real as shit. It was everywhere and all mixed up in everything, and the only people who said it wasn't, and the only people who said, 'Don't talk about it' were white. Well, stop lying. That's what I wanted to tell those people. Stop lying. Stop denying" (292).
Rashad's point of view: "Mrs. Fitzgerald rocked forward in the chair until she eventually got back to her feet. 'Now, I'm not telling you what to do. But I'm telling you that I've been watching the news, and I see what's going on. There's something that ain't healed, and it's not just those ribs of yours. And it's perfectly okay for you to be afraid, but whether you protest or not, you'll still be scared. Might as well let your voice be heard, son...'" (244).
Practical Considerations: Powerful stuff, huh! Here's why I'm really, really annoyed with these authors. I understand that characters are shaped by what they say and how they say it... but having the f-bomb on nearly every other page just isn't going to fly in any school where I have taught. I would use this book in my classroom in a heartbeat if the f-bomb was maybe every other chapter. The language is too strong in this book, so I can't recommend it for classroom use.
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